Minister of Justice:"honest relationship with European partners"

The new Chief of Justice wants, beyond fulfilling Romania’s obligations under the Cooperation and Verification Mechanism (CVM), to gain the trust of European partners.

"We have priorities related to codes; we have priorities related to MCV.

"There are things to accomplish within CVM, but I want, beyond our obligations towards the European partners, to help at developing the honest relationships of trust with our European partners.

"I do not want only to accomplish formal things.

"We want to win the trust of European partners through things looked like they are.

"Open, honestly, in order to develop a long-term relationship, at least in terms of ministry", said Robert Cazanciuc.

The minister also said he would try to develop a solid relationship with associations of magistrates, the Superior Council of Magistracy and the Parliament because it requires a predictable regulatory system, well-tuned, so that the rules are to serve the citizens, according to Radio Romania Actualitati editor, Madalina Verman.

Objectives agreed together with the Prime Minister

Prime Minister Victor Ponta said, at the handover ceremony of the office of Minister of Justice Robert Cazanciuc, that he agrees with the principle of proposing in leadership positions in DNA, DIOCT and the Prosecutor's Office attached to the High Court of Cassation and Justice individuals with experience within those institutions which meet all professional and moral standards that SCM system expects.

"Minister Cazanciuc has several important goals that we set together, as Prime Minister and Minister of Justice.

"First and foremost, an improvement as balanced and positive as possible, within the space and the limit set by the Constitution and laws of the work of the Minister of Justice, within and along the CSM, by the SCM plenum, polling prosecutors, judges, so that collaboration is as good as possible and to be able to make a progress on important reform processes of justice", said the prime minister.

Victor Ponta said that other important goals is to achieve as many targets as set out in the Cooperation and Verification Mechanism, the implementation of the two codes, the criminal law and the criminal procedure and the preparation of legislative changes to enable a system of justice more effective for the citizen.

Previously, at the new minister’s oath, President Traian Basescu said he is convinced that this has no doubt that the main objective is a favorable MCV for Romania.

Traian Basescu told Robert Cazanciuc that most observations, objectives to accomplish related to MCV, are related to politicians, either it refers to Parliament, to Government or other state structures, but that the minister "will be responsible".

Prime Minister Victor Ponta appointed Robert Cazanciuc as minister of justice last week, owned temporarily by the head of the government.

The same day, President Traian Basescu signed a decree through wich Cazanciuc, prosecutor at the Prosecutor's Office attached to the High Court of Cassation and Justice, was dismissed following the resignation.

At that time, the Superior Council of Magistracy noted the resignation of Robert Cazanciuc from the prosecutor function.

Prosecutor for nearly 20 years

Robert Cazanciuc is prosecutor since 1996, was the spokesman for the General Prosecutor, Deputy General Director at the National Penitentiary and later General Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

He graduated the Law Faculty from the University of Bucharest in 1995 and worked as a prosecutor for three years.

Subsequently, he held positions in various institutions: Prosecutor at the General Prosecutor's Office, within the Office of the relationship with the media.

From 2000 to 2001, he was spokesman of the same Prosecutor, where he made his first media relations guide the Public Ministry.

During 2001 - 2004, Robert Cazanciuc was general director and then Secretary of State in the Control Body of the Romanian Prime Minister, Adrian Nastase at the time.

He led the team of developing the administrative cooperation agreement with the European Anti-Fraud Office.

Robert Cazanciuc was also Deputy General Manager in Penitentiary Administration in 2005, and, until 2008, he was chief prosecutor of the Office of Media Relations, at the Prosecutor General.

Translated by Alexandra-Diana Mircea

MTTLC, Bucharest University